


Lost Easter Memories

by Emi_The_Ninja



Series: Voltron Family Moments - Arcs [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Elemental Magic, Guess who, His name is Akito, Keith's father is a jerk (aka he is an OC), Magic, Multi, Someone dies, Voltron Lions as Cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-06 19:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17351399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emi_The_Ninja/pseuds/Emi_The_Ninja
Summary: With fragmented memories and returning to an old place, Krolia moves back to Altea Creek with Keith. People remembers them clearly but Keith suffers from headaches as old memories surfaces.Easter triggers more pain then sugar rushes.---Due to the length of Family Moments I decided to post the arcs in separate works for easy read. These would be chapters 23-27 in the Voltron Family Moments.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Time line wise?
> 
> Keith and Krolia leaves when Keith is 12 years old. when he's 17 they are in the crash and his father is charged for drunk driving and Krolia asks that he isn't allowed out or near them. When Keith is 22 they move back to they move back and have been packing things up for a little over 2 weeks when Thace finds them.
> 
> Shiro is 24 here. so the only one I have aged up is Keith, whom is 18/19 in the show.
> 
> (Originally Thace was the Doctor and I just had to slap myself >.< Ulaz is the doctor!! And I edited the heck out of this. Which means i have to edit it over on FF ;_;)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With fragmented memories and returning to an old place, Krolia moves back to Altea Creek with Keith. People remembers them clearly but Keith suffers from headaches as old memories surfaces.
> 
> Easter triggers more pain then sugar rushes.  
>  \---
> 
> Due to the length of Family Moments I decided to post the arcs in separate works for easy read. These would be chapters 23-27 in the Voltron Family Moments.

_Pidge cooed and clapped her hands when Shiro appeared upside down holding eggs and grinned. "Fine! Keith wins!" Matt snorts where he stands with his sister in the back carrier and a basket in his left hand. "I told you!" Keith appears from the bushes under the tree and Pidge giggles brushing the twigs from his hair.  
_

_"Keef mess!"_

_Shiro drops down and helps getting the leaves out. "What did you do in there? Chase a white Rabbit and fell down a hole?" Matt cackled as Keith elbows Shiro in the gut. "Clam it Shiro!" The 12 year old huffs while the 14-year olds grins at their best friend and they continue on their egg hunt, they stop to transfer Pidge to Shiro and Matt bends back. "Okay she's not so light anymore!"_

_"Yes she is."_

_"You're going to be just muscle!"_

_"And goofy humor." Keith points out behind Matt whom drops in laughter while Shiro pouts and Pidge laughs. They pass The Holt blanket spot for sandwiches and Matt leans against a tree with Pidge in his lap and Keith in Shiro's when Pidge reaches out calling 'Lura' and a mass of white engulfs the little girl._

_Keith blinks as the white mass moves and a dark skinned face appears. "Hi! Lance thought he saw you guys earlier!" Coran comes over with Lance and Hunk and they set their baskets and blankets beside as the kids cuddles up with each other and Sam grins as he hold up a camera._

_"Kids!"_

_Smiles and grins with gaps between the teeth are flashed._

**000**

Keith's eyes flew up and gazes out the car window to find that they have reached a small town, driving past a large park and with ponds, floating lights shining on the water surface. He rubbed his eyes and reached for his water bottle in the cup holder and finds a coffee instead. "Got it by the gas station about 5 minutes ago, so it might be a little luke warm."

His mother Krolia is behind the wheel with her own coffee and sets it in her cupholder. "We're almost at the new house. This is why the beds were put in last and not taken apart, but the bedding was made. We park, load the beds out, the helpers goes in the other car to the hotel they booked and we deal with all that unpacking shit in the morning."

"Is Red alive?" He looks over his shoulder to find the cat carrier open and Red on the seat, stretched out and purring in a cat bed secured with the seat belt. "I had to let the poor thing out, she even jumped around the car and ran on the grass. And did her business a bit further away- Don't worry I put on her tracker collar as I had to do some stretches as well."

"Why not wake me?"

"Honey when you are asleep you are off world."

Keith pouted as she ruffles his long hair and then points forward. "That's the one. With the tree on the front. We'll just set the beds in the living room and maybe some boxes." Keith gets out of the car after it stopped and does a bridge that has his back popping loudly and he flops on the dry grass groaning in relief and pops the rest of his limbs as he stretches.

"You done going ragdoll Keith?" Krolia calls when one of the men from the moving company turns to check him in wonder.

"In a minute. Just going to do a 360 degree spin of my back like an owl's head."

"Hold that thought after you've carried stuff."

He huffs but gets up to get some boxes and gets them in the new house. "Hey I like the kitchen Island in the middle and the bar- Living room could be cozy too with some plants..."

"Ideas on hold as well!" Krolia sets down a box and moves as the moving aid carries in the beds. "Just over here is fine. I hope two Full sized beds aren't that heavy?" She gets two head shakes and the small truck is parked beside their car on the drive way and the second car drives off. Keith flops into his Full size and groans. "Bad idea! Mom save me!" He reaches his hands out making grabbing motions and make a _'Urk!'_ when Red lands on his chest. Krolia flops into her bed in T-shirt and soft shorts groaning.

"Oh quiznak bad idea-" But if she was going to say something was lost as she fell asleep and Keith fixes his pillows to get comfortable and Red snuggles closer, being a small kitten is good.

**000**

In the morning they have gotten everything inside and were unpacking. Keith found Red's toys and sets them up in a corner where the sun seeps in and sets the extra cat bed there and _zoom_ Red is face smooshed into it and snoozing in the sun, she was safely out of the way at least. Krolia was getting the curtains up when she sees a young girl in a white/purple dress walking her dog, a matching purple hairband in her long brown hair. She looks at the empty truck as it drives away then at the house with a tilt of her head.

Krolia sees a few boxes out on the front and goes to get them inside and waves at the girl, whom shyly waves back and stumbles when her dog tugs the leach seeing a squirrel running up the tree. Krolia chuckles and calls over her shoulder.

"Keith! Let's get these boxes in!"

She sees the girl freeze and look as Keith comes out setting the toolbox down. "Aren't they going to the garage?"

"I think I know which boxes I wrote on. Now take a box and move it."

"Juuust checking if you are more awake."

The girl is gone by the time Krolia looks again and blinks. When had she left? But thinks nothing of it as they carry their things inside the house to avoid getting robbed. Keith orders salads from a pizza place he found on his tablet and a big soda, collapses into the sofa after the food arrives and digs in. "Mom! Food is here! You haven't eaten since 10AM!"

"Coming! Just getting this-"

"Your leg stump must be calling for mercy!"

"...Okay I'm coming." She flops in the couch herself and Keith finds the switch to remove the prosthesis setting it on the floor and goes to get some cold cloths and towel. Krolia sighs in relief as they are wrapped around her stump. "Thanks Keith. It was killing me actually." Red nick some ham from his salad in the mean time and Keith merely bops her nose before leaning back. "So with the rate we're going everything might be in order by next friday?"

"Mh-hm. But on this Saturday let's take a break and have a look around town, believe it or not I have lived here once before. Grew up here really."

Keith was drinking so he merely lifted his brows. "It's true, me and my two- older- brothers." Krolia lowers her fork as she gets that far away look again that Keith has come to identify as memory glimpses. He had those too but his would go headache levels while his mom would zone out for a while, luckily she didn't get them when cooking but he still helped to be safe. Krolia blinks and picks up her phone. "I have to see if I still have their numbers-"

"Wasn't our phones totaled in the accident and we had to get new ones? You never had much number memory..."

"And you only remember 2 things. But yes you're right... Heh, I can't even remember what my brothers names are!" She wipes her eyes and leans her head back with a hand over her eyes. "I'm so glad the guards let me beat your father up during my very last prison visit. I wanted to take you with me but you didn't even know why he was there or who he is!"

"What did happen in that accident anyway? It's all blank and it's been 5 years. Nothing has come back."

Krolia lowers her hand and sighs. "Well I remember it was raining. The car was going a little unsteady but I thought it was because it was slippery, then a car horn and blackness, my head and right leg hurting like hell... We were both in coma and when I woke up I hear your father had been driving drunk, he had taken your collage money and lord was I pissed at him. You woke up 3 months after with mostly no memories and we had to go in therapy for some time. Then two weeks ago I found this house was out on the market so here we are."

Keith hums as he looks away and shrugs. "Did I get this in that accident?" He pulls down his right t-shirt sleeve to show a jagged scar on his right shoulder. Krolia was drinking her soda but gave a thumbs up. "Yes, the car belt cut into your shoulder and you had struck your head. I think we were in a crossing and the car that hit us rammed into the back left of the car, you were on the right backseat with pillows and bags so while it protected you tremendously on the left side you were throw hard forward and right."

Red meowed and jumped to Keith's lap and climbed up to his shoulder to lick him. She was so small that she could slip into hoods when he wore them.

**000**

Krolia wanted to head for the City archives to see if there was anything on her brothers and Keith looked around while she did that, stopping to read a framed article on an old building when she came back. "Keith Keith! I have their names! And our records from when we lived here last. So apparently I was the youngest sibling and- Don't laugh they are going to baby me when we meet them! Anyway my oldest brother's name is Kolivan and my other brother's name is Thace. They both still live here in the city and in the same apartment, no idea about their jobs but I wasn't here for that. Let's go to the park before we drop by like nukes."

Keith grins as they go outside to the park, seeing kids in bunny outfits and baskets finding something in bushes and behind rocks and in flower beds. He slowed down to lean against a tree rubbing his temple. "Keith? What is it? Are you having those headache again?" Krolia asks as she looks around seeing small children near them finding colorful eggs, she had forgotten it was Easter.

"Excuse me? Is your son not feeling well? I'm one of the local doctors here in town." A man speaks up behind her.

"Thanks I think he's oka-" She turns and her voice fails as she takes in the man whose own eyes widens and steps back slightly.

"K-Kr-Krolia?" He whispers.

"...Kolivan? Or Thace?" She digs in her bag for the files she got from the archive and opens one, looks at the man and looks in the other. "Who--" She looks back up at him and grunts as he hugs her, dropping the files and brings her arms around him.

Keith has by now recovered enough to pick up the files to look in them. The man before him has a white Mohawk hairstyle and pale skin, and honey yellow eyes as he pulls back to look at Keith. So it's neither Thace or Kolivan. "I am Ulaz, don't you remember?" 

"Ulaz, this is my son Keith. Keith this is one of my brothers and your uncle. Damn, if you hug like this I dread what he will do."

"First he will stare, then his jaw will fall, then he will ask me if this is dream or sick joke which I will deny, then he will hug you and lastly he will recover enough to demand where the hell you have been the past 10 years!"

"10?" Keith asks and Krolia gaps. "What Keith said. Are you- It's been 10 years since we moved?"

Ulaz looks at them both. "Let's go somewhere and talk... I feel like this will take a long time." He leads them to a small café and they take the table by a window further in. Keith enjoys his pastry while Krolia sips her coffee. "So who starts? Not me because I've got no clue. Keith even less."

Ulaz nods slowly and points his spoon. "I figured when I saw the scar under your fringe. And your prosthesis..."

"Car accident 5 years ago, I think Keith was 17. Since then both our memories have been a mess, Keith describes mine as zone outs while he gets these migraine like headaches when something trigger a memory. That reminds me Keith what did you see in the park that triggered this one when Thace found us?"

Keith looks out the window then. "An egg hunt... I found one in the pond in a large bowl tied to the bank and a man reached out for three eggs, I saw my little self in the water reflection. There was some others with me..." Ulaz listens and when Keith doesn't continue he takes out his wallet and finds a photo he shows them. "These people?" Keith looks and almost knocks his glass down had Krolia not moved it away. "Yes! Those are the people I keep seeing! Dreams or headaches!"

"That's because you kids were so close growing up. You and these two-" He points at the two boys hugging a very small Keith. "Were impossible to separate most times. Any trips that were planned you got to go along on. I'd want to reintroduce them but if you are getting these headaches we should takes this slow as possible. I'll have you added in my register as patients and get you something to lessen the headaches. I know amnesia can be painful."

Keith nods his head at Krolia. "Get her something for her leg stump. She overdoes it most times." Ulaz gives her a mild glare and Krolia slumps in her seat. "Ugh- There it is! Knew I was going to be babied by them."

Ulaz stops by their house to look around quick and snorts mentioning a memory or two before he leaves after they've exchanged numbers and Keith flops in his bed for a nap while Krolia looks through her files again.

**000**

Timing the drive from the Kogane household Ulaz gets home 25 minutes later and is barely through the door before his breathing is restricted.

"Koli- Let- me- Breath!" He grunts out and gasps leaning against the wall with a hand on his chest and cringes. "Sweet heavens! What's with the death hug?!"

"You didn't pick up your phone." Antok leans against the wall to the living room and Thace peaks out of the kitchen waving a wooden spoon. "So I dropped by to calm him down best I could til Thace got home." Ulaz rolls his eyes and hangs up his jacket. "Well before you start yelling at me you better sit down Kolivan- I have news that will give you a heart attack... Thace move the pots and turn off the stove! Antok sit."

Once they are all gathered and Ulaz has paced back and forth a while he finally claps his hands. "Okay I have literally not prepared for this, except the part where you had better be sitting down for this. I- Well when I was at the park after my shift I saw a woman by a young boy whom look to be in pain, he was rubbing the side of his head so I went to ask if I could help. The woman turns around and my breath just leaves me because the woman was none other then Krolia!" Ulaz had dropped the spoon and Antok flew up shouting. "Yes Krolia! As in Thace and Kolivan's little sister who disappeared 10 years ago!"

Kolivan leans back heavily staring at him. "She's back here?"

"And in the very same house too. But she's not alone- The boy too. Keith is with her."

"KEITH?!" Kolivan bellows grasping Ulaz's shoulders whom smirks. "I'm serious! And- Well here's the less happy part- They barely remember anything. They were in a car accident 5 years ago. Krolia lost her right leg thigh down and she has this thick scar under her fringe here-" He runs his index finger showing them. "And Keith, limbs intact don't worry, but remembers nothing. He gets these migraines when he recalls something." Kolivan sinks back in the couch and Thace sits down too.

"I'm going to visit them on Friday and you better clear that day Kolivan. It's time to lay your nightmares to rest."

**000**

Krolia sees the girl from their first day again, this time with a boy who looks like her so it must be her brother. Both freeze and gaps as Keith walks out to get something and as he goes back inside the siblings bolt. Krolia frowns slightly and leans away from the window as Ulaz's car comes down the road and she open the door to find him there with her brothers.

Thace looks between the two for a second. "Now remember what I said. She doesn't remember much about us, she had to go to the archives to find out about us. Krolia this is-"

"Kolivan." She whispers and Red decides to zoom in, jump and dig her claws in Kolivan's leg and glares up at the way taller man. Krolia slaps her hands to quell her laughter and Thace just cackles as Keith slides to a stop and blinks. "Oh... That's why she went 'big cat mode' and bolted." Kolivan's head snaps up from the kitten to the young man while Thace hugs Krolia.

"Keith?"

He nods slowly and Ulaz leads Kolivan in. "Keith this is Kolivan, your elder uncle and the one hugging your mother to death over there is Thace. And who is your little bodyguard?"

"Red. I know poor name choice-"

"Why? I didn't know cats could be this red." Thace smiles as Red drops from Kolivan's leg and runs to Keith and up to his shoulder as they all sit down at the sofa group. "I filled Kolivan in on everything. What I forgot to mention is he's very overprotective after you vanished without warning. He had stopped by here to find it all empty and called for backup. Your car had been turned in so we couldn't track it, your phone appeared to be turned off and-"

Ulaz stops when Krolia winces rubbing her forehead and Kolivan sees the scar under her fringe, about 4 cm long and 1 cm wide. On her cheek are marks that looks like tattoos, to cover something? Keith has a similar one on his right cheek and is in tank top so the dark shoulder scar is standing out on his pale skin. On the right side of his forehead is a scar too.

"May I ask about your scars Keith?" Kolivan leans forward resting his elbows on his knees and folds in hands. Keith is silent until he jerks and Kolivan frowns to look at Ulaz whom shakes his head. "I had no idea about that... Kolivan asked about your scars."

Keith looks between them and draws his legs up. "Yeah I heard, was just trying to remember about the sudden move but it's all blank. The shoulder scar was from the car belt and I struck my head hard. I was on the right back seat and Mom says the car that hit us rammed the left backseat. There were bags and pillows there so I wasn't that injured but another car hit in the right front, trapping Mom's leg. I can't remember much else."

Kolivan nods and rubs his hands. "Well you were 12 last we saw you, 10 years have passed and it's end of March so you must be 22? Your birthday is on October 23rd right?"

"Koli, you have it written up in every new device and calendar you get." Thace teases and gets a pillow smacked to his face. Keith snorts and Krolia looks up at them. "But since we can't get more out of you I guess it's our turn-" Keith takes out his phone to put in a take out order as Thace begins reviewing their years.

**000**

The girl again.

Kolia was putting flowers on the window sill with Thace setting them in the pots. "Thace who is that girl?" He looks discretely out the window as he sets the potted flower on the sill. "Ah, that's Katie Holt but she prefers Pidge. I can't remember how old she was when you moved but she was small."

Krolia nods slowly as Katie- Pidge- Looks at the house before she leaves. "She always comes here and looks for a few minuets before leaving. There has been times when Keith has come out and she pales before running, I think she recognizes him."

"Hard not to. Same mullet style and violet eyes? Even you haven't changed much."

"Remind me who was the better fighter of us?"

Unknown to them Keith had seen Pidge too and was clutching his head. Red pawed him before bolting out and tugged Kolivan's sleeve whom got up and slipped away quietly and crouched beside Keith. "Keith? Is it another headache?"

"Saw- Her-" He points to the window and Kolivan doesn't have to ask who Keith had seen before helping his nephew to his bed and reaches for the pills Ulaz had prescribed. "I'll explain when you wake up with clearer head." Keith nods as he falls asleep with Red curled into a small ball by his face and starts purring.

It takes a day but she comes back and Kolivan catches her. "Pidge."

"Kolivan? Wha- Did you and Thace move here?" Pidge blinks, tugging her dog away from the road. Kolivan mentally applauded her wits of using her dog as a cover to pass the houses. "Well, in a way but no. Ulaz found our sister in the park last week. Yes Krolia." He sees Pidge's brows almost rocket off her forehead.

"But she was- She and K-Ke-" She sniff and wipes her eyes. "Oh come on... Why do I always start when I think of him?!"

"Because you kids were so devastatingly close to each other. Keith's departure hurt us all and to not hear from them for 10 years. That reminds me, when are they all gathered at your house?"

"Everyday when they can. Job and all that. Why?"

"I would like to inform you all in person."

**000**

Thace doesn't find it odd when Kolivan says he's going out. "Say hi to Antok for me. If Ulaz is there tell him I'm watching Keith, his migraines worries me and I have enough practise." Kolivan takes the car and drives around the blocks before stopping at Holt's and is barely at the door when it opens and Pidge steps aside. "I finally managed to get them all here. Thou I didn't say why."

Kolivan steps in and everyone stands up instantly when they see him. "Kolivan!"

"Wait what's going on?"

"Pidge why is he here?"

"Oh no oh no please don't say it!"

"HUNK!"

"Well why else would he be here?!"

Kolivan lifts a hand but it's not he who gets them to settle down.

"QUIET!"

The youngsters all sits down with covered mouths and Shiro, who had yelled, turns to Kolivan. "It must be important if you come at this hour. We usually meet on the street." Kolivan sits in the armchair and Pidge takes the floor pillow. "It is important. But as much as it's happy news it's also quite devastating. I assume you all know of Pidge's lurking?"

"Again?" Matt groans and Shiro mildly glares at her. "Katie." She sinks into herself but Kolivan holds up a hand. "Which is good as I could ask her for this gathering. You all remember mine and Thace's sister don't you?"

Allura lowers her hands. "Krolia right? Keith's mom." Lance and Hunk looks away and Pidge wipes her eyes again muttering about being a silly cry baby.

Kolivan sighs. "Yes. She's back in town and in the very same house as well. Ulaz met her in the park during the Easter Hunt-" Most of them covers their ears and mumbles for him to stop. Shiro was looking at his mismatched hands. "And he discovered she had lost her right leg, uses a prothesis and is partly amnesiac. She had to go to the city archives to find information about us. They've been living here for little over 3 weeks now, close to 4."

"'They'?" Hunk quirked a brow. Kolivan waits before smiling, uncrossing his leg and leans forward.

"Keith is there too. He's back in town with Krolia. You haven't been seeing things Pidge."

Shiro and Matt's heads snaps up, Allura and Pidge lets the tears fall and Hunk and Lance cheered and hugged. Kolivan almost regrets telling them the bad news. "Yet there are more bad news. When Keith was 17 he was in the same car accident as Krolia, striking his head hard enough to become an amnesiac as well. Even 5 years later he hasn't regained all of them and any memory that returns gives him a terrible headache. Thace and I stay with them to help, Krolia because she refuses to stay off her remaining leg and Keith because Thace worries about him. He had a major one not long ago when he saw you Pidge, with your side ponytail in green bow. Ulaz checks on them all the time when he can."

Kolivan holds out the photo of the gang as kids and there holding Keith's arm is Pidge in a green dress, a green bow in a side tail and a happy smile. Keith's other hand was linked with Shiro and Matt's, all their matching bracelets on their left wrists. "This very memory came to him in the park seeing the egg hunt and that's how Thace found them when he asked if he could help. We still don't know if we can bring you there yet with Keith's headaches."

Shiro runs his hands over his face and thinks for a moment. "Is Keith fit to work?"

"If Ulaz has his way? No, those headaches can be bad enough that Keith faints. Krolia because she doesn't rest her right leg stump like she should but she works from home. With our well paying jobs it's not hard for Thace and I to help them out every month. I've already set up an account for Krolia and Keith, half of our payments goes to them each payday." Kolivan leans back. "Why are you asking?"

"Keith must be going insane not getting to do anything. Maybe get him out on something?"

"What your flower store?" Lance giggles and Shiro sends him a glare. Kolivan thinks for a moment. "I will have to ask Thace about that. But yes I agree, as mush as I worry about him seeing you. That could very well trigger a memory with a string enough migraine effect that he ends up in the hospital."

Shiro cringes at the thought but nods. Kolivan nods back and stands up. "I best get going. I'll let you all know when it's safe to meet Keith. Pidge, try not lurking to long at the same spot?"

**000**

"I'm going out." Keith announced as he sipped his jacket on and Red followed him. "Sorry Red, you're staying in. I will not have a dog chasing you or a cat attacking." Red runs to block his way and Thace stands covering his snickering while Kolivan sips his coffee. Keith lifts Red up and dumps her in a coat pocket where she hangs wiggling and meowing as Keith bolts out the door.

"Keith 1, Red 0." Thace wheezes as he gets the poor kitten out of his coat pocket.

"Mmhm. But you have to admit, it was a smart move." Kolivan downs his coffee and grabs his coat. "Keith! Hold up!"

Keith turns as he waits for his uncle to catch up putting on his coat. "I'll show you around town if you want. If your poor head allows you a decent sense of directions?"

"Don't know really. I wasn't out all that much."

Kolivan smiled slightly as they started walking. "When you were 12 you were out everyday. I know. I know, it's all in the past and you aren't that kid anymore. Damn it I am getting old..." He grumbles and Keith snorts.

"Were we close? When I was younger I mean?" Kolivan was quiet as they walked before nodding. "Thace and I lived in our family home two houses down on the opposite road, when Krolia met your father they moved to the house you live in now. They got married and about 3 years later she told us the news, Thace fainted and I think I shut down for a little while. When you were born we always asked if we could watch you. When you started crawling-"

There's wasn't much showing around as they stopped at a bench in the park and Keith listened to Kolivan talking about his childhood, like he had memorized every day and year. Keith listened without interrupting and changed position so he was sitting sideways with his legs drawn up and Kolivan angled to rest his arm on the back of the bench, people passed them and the sun moved in the sky as time passed. The lights flickered on in the park and Keith looked around. "Whoops... So much for that sightseeing."

Kolivan snorted as he stood up. "My bad. By the way Keith, do you plan on finding work?"

"I thought you and-"

"Yes we are but are you going to stay indoors? Someone we both know offered you a spot and you can work out the hours. We could pass the place on the way home?"

Keith shrugged as they started walking and is surprised at the flower store. Kolivan opens the door that hits the little bell above.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With fragmented memories and returning to an old place, Krolia moves back to Altea Creek with Keith. People remembers them clearly but Keith suffers from headaches as old memories surfaces.
> 
> Easter triggers more pain then sugar rushes.
> 
> \---
> 
> Due to the length of Family Moments I decided to post the arcs in separate works for easy read. These would be chapters 23-27 in the Voltron Family Moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to make Kolivan a Therapist. When Shiro lost his arm Kolivan was assigned as Shiro's therapist and knowing each other when Keith lived in the town it was easy to talk.

Entering the flower store Keith noted that it may have looked small outside but inside it was spacious, everything arranged to not be in the way and within easy reach for the orders. The older man behind the counter nodded to Kolivan and then his eyes fell on Keith and he nearly dropped the order for the woman before him and set it aside carefully.

"Kolivan, that isn't-"

"It is Hakaru. Keith, come here for a second?" Keith looked up from the display he was enchanted by and slowly stepped under his uncle's outstretched arm feeling it wrap around him. "Keith, do you happen to remember the Shirogane?" The woman and the owner, Hakaru, waited quietly as Keith finally shook his head and turned his eyes away. Kolivan sighed and looked at Hakaru. "Where is your grandson?"

"I gave him the day off. Boy's been working far to much lately and his arm has started to bother him. I think it's straining his shoulder."

"I'll see that he gets on Ulaz's urgent list as soon as I get home. I was going to ask if you had need of more help? Keith needs to get out of the house and since- You know-"

Hakaru nodded and the woman smiled. "Keith? Do you remember me?" Another head shake. "Colleen Holt. Matt and Katie's mother. But you know Katie as Pidge." Keith frowned but shook his head. "Sorry. I really can't remember anything. Can we go? My head is starting to hurt."

Kolivan eyes widen and all his attention was aimed at him. "Of course." Once they were out of the door and out of sight Hakaru sighed.

"You may come out now Takashi. I fear we were right however."

In the back room holding a wreath stood Shiro silently crying and covered his eyes with his left hand. Keith didn't remember him and while he should have been ready for it given Kolivan's warning, it still hurt. It ached that Keith was so close and they were legal ages, but Fate had another path for them.

**000**   


"It's not memory migraines. The weather is turning." Krolia hissed as she got the prothesis leg off and sighed. "And it wreaks havoc on us both." Thace frowned in worry as he tended to them both and Kolivan stayed near them. Keith was sprawled in the other sofa with Red snuggled close to him and mewed when he groaned.

Outside it was pouring and the wind was picking up, making Kolivan and Thace nervous and Kolivan locked and bolted everything before lifting Keith enough to sit down and lay Keith's head on his thigh. Keith hummed as the cold hand pressed to his forehead and Red nudged closer, happy her owner was feeling a bit better.

Krolia looked at Keith after a while and saw he was asleep. "This is the kind of weather we disappeared under wasn't it?"

"How-"

"Thace's hands are shacking. And you shift between looking murderous at the windows and gentle at Keith."

Neither brother could deny that fact and nodded. "Yes. Everyone was told to stay indoors and we had thought of coming over but the streets were flooded so we remained inside. I think we did some work we bought home and then went to bed, it was 2 days later that Kolivan found the house empty and you gone... If we had gone over like we planned-"

"It's not your fault. I didn't know what he was planning until he knocked Keith out in the backhead and-" Krolia stopped and they both waited for her to come out of her memory zone out.

"Gun."

Thace applied to much force to the nerves in her stump and Kolivan almost grabbed a fist full of Keith's hair but remembered in time and gripped the couch arm instead. Red growled as curled closer to Keith looking around for the danger. Thace eased his grips and choked out. "You. mean. he pointed- A gun... At you? And he hurt Keith?" Krolia nodded as she stared past him blankly but she didn't say anything else.

**000**

The storm eased up over the night but the rain wouldn't let up for sometime and Keith was amused by the Altea Creek radio station. "So they are a married couple that has their work at home?" 

"Mhmm, their studio is on the bottom floor and their living complex is on the upper floors. Sometimes it's their elder kids doing the update." Thace replied as he stood by the stove. "Bring this out to your couch bound mother."

"You know she will kick your butt when she can move again."

"If she can find her leg." Kolivan muttered into his mug and Keith struggled to look neutral and not on the edge of losing it. Krolia thanked him for the breakfast as she solved more Sudoku with Red sprawled over her stump. "Your kitten as picked up your uncle's hovering. She refuses to move."

_"Where are the cat treats?!"_

Keith snorted as he bounced into the kitchen again and opened a cabin. Instantly there was a ball of Red sitting on the floor by his feet and Keith picked her up. "You were suppose to stay with mom silly."

' _Mrow'_

Red rubbed her head under his chin before going for her treats and Keith smiled as he set the bag in it's place when he saw a dark figure and Red noticed the change in him, looked out the window and let out an angry yowl, bending her back and her little tail looked like a feather duster. Kolivan and Thace jumped looking at them and bolted to them. "Keith?"

Keith blinked and found the figure was gone and after a second more he turned to look at Thace. "I- I'm okay."

They both doubted it as they saw the dark figure step forward again after Keith had turned his back to the window. They didn't want to be hovering over the two but if their sick stomach feelings told them to, they would listen.

Last time had costed them 10 years.

**000**

Kolivan gathered Shiro and the others again, with Antok and Ulaz this time. "He may have snuck past the wards under the storm." Kolivan started as he gazed out the window with folded arms. "Keith only saw a silhouette but the way Red acted when Keith wasn't looking-"

"You think he's here? Like in Altea Creek sneaking around watching Keith?" Hunk asked cowering behind Shiro.

Kolivan turned and they gaped when they saw how many years older he looked. Like the 10 years finally showed on him.

"We have to deal with this without endangering Keith and Krolia."

"Okay yeah sure good plan! One question: HOW did an outsider get past the wards?!" Lance bolted up. "They are renewed every week! And I know there's an outsider here because the water as been screaming it at me all day!"

"Water- Kolivan? Has anyone told Keith of his-"

Kolivan shock his head. "No, we wanted to wait if it returned on it's own but- Wait- Outsider... No wonder it never appeared to him when he was younger!" No one stopped him as he left Pidge's house and they looked among themselves.

**000**   


"Krolia. Do you remember what Altea Creek really is?"

She looked up from her Sudoku when Kolivan burst in. "Besides an amplified hub of elemental energies and we are fire? But we have no idea if Keith adds up in it because it never showed for him?" Kolivan sighed in relief as he fell into the armchair and Thace came in from the office. "What's this about the hub?"

"Krolia remembers."

To their joy a small purple flame lit up from the tip of her finger. "Yours is white Kolivan and Thace I have no idea." They both copied her move and Thace's turned out to be a more lighter purple. "Keith's may be red once it appears."

"He's half outsider Thace. And it appeared for him once already."

Krolia tapped her pencil to her lip and hummed. "Koli- Do you still have the token from Grandfather? That's how he determined we had the fire to balance the hub?"

"I probably do somewhere. But it's in the apartment-"

A set of keys suddenly appeared in Kolivan's view. "In the attic actually. Yes I got the house back. Ulaz's rent went up more then he could handle and since we live here anyway-" Thace dropped the keys into Kolivan's hand as he stood and Krolia smirked.

"You're still a checky bastard."

"Where do you think you go it from?"

He ducked the pillow and it hit Kolivan instead and being with one leg Krolia couldn't run away as it came sailing back at her.

**000**

_Thunder and lighting echoed over the sky and Keith curled into the corner clutching blanket and fought the already falling tears. A louder boom rumbled and Keith whimpered._

_"Okay that's it. I have to check if Keith is awake."_

_"He probably is and with the way it's going on he shouldn't be alone. He's only 5 years old."_

_Keith whimpered when the thunder boomed again and heard hushing sounds. "Come here little one. Let's get your out of this dark room." Kolivan picked up his small nephew and carried him to the cozy candle lit living room and sat by the fire and Thace smiled as he got the foam puzzle pieces out._

_"Keith. Look what I found today."_

_It took some time but eventually Keith turned from Kolivan's chest and looked at the box before his eyes went wide. "Is that-"_

_"The 3D model of the Castle of Lions. And somewhere I had the- Where did I put it?" Kolivan smiled when the fussing made the toddler more curious and while waiting he felt his braid being played with and held the boy tighter as the thunder echoed again._

_"Rawr!"_

_Keith jumped coming nose to nose with a stuffed- "RED! REREDREDRED!" Keith reached for the stuffed toy lion and they laughed. "Told you he'd lose it!"_

_"And you haven't even showed him the onesie." Keith froze instantly before slowly looking up at Kolivan. "Where-"_

_Thace got up to get it and Keith scrambled after, only to shoot right back into his other uncle in glee. "It has ears! And a tail!"_

_"We know cub." Kolivan joked as they started on the model and talked. Keith forgot about the storm raging outside and when they were half done with the model he fell asleep and they both smiled at the curled up bundle. "This storm will go on all night. He'll probably wake again!" Thace stretched standing up and Kolivan hummed before he stood and went to his bedroom and laid Keith in the bed._

_Getting his nightly routine done Kolivan soon joined the toddler and like always Keith's tiny hand would find his braid and hummed in his sleep._

_"Sleep little lion." Kolivan whispered into the silky looks. "Nothing will harm you." He didn't see Keith's eye crack open as he waved his hand and the flames from the candles would leave their places and form to a white flame orb in Kolivan's palm before he closed it and darkness claimed the room._

_"Nothing will harm you."_

**000**

Keith flew up with a choked yell and looked around his room as Red jumped up to his bed and pawed his chest wailing in worry before she ran out of his ajar door and returned with Kolivan. "Keith what is it? Come on breath now." It took some time and water but eventually Keith felt like he could explain himself.

"Just the storm. And another memory."

Kolivan frowned when Keith got up and opened one unpacked moving box and held up two items. "Damn I was small." In his left hand is the onesie and in his right is the toy lion, it amazed him Keith still had them. "You are a little to big for the onsie thou."

"But not for this." Keith hugged the toy to his chest as he sat beside Kolivan and leaned against him. "And there was something else in that memory... About you."

"Oh?"

Keith was about to start when they heard loud banging and they both froze up, from the opposite door Thace poke out and looking to his left, presumably at Krolia. Kolivan stood up and kept a hand on Keith's chest. "Stay here Keith. Let me go see-"

But Keith got up and followed his uncle and they all four stood watching the front door as the banging sound continued and then it stopped. Red was watching in the window and then shook her head. Whoever it was had left. Keith picked her up to nuzzle her as he turned to his uncles.

"Anything else we should know?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With fragmented memories and returning to an old place, Krolia moves back to Altea Creek with Keith. People remembers them clearly but Keith suffers from headaches as old memories surfaces.
> 
> Easter triggers more pain then sugar rushes.  
>  \---
> 
> Due to the length of Family Moments I decided to post the arcs in separate works for easy read. These would be chapters 23-27 in the Voltron Family Moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * the box has Keith's Guardian of Fire symbol on it. 
> 
> this 'Modern' AU however has slowly turned into a Voltron/ATLA... god damn it...
> 
> and i suck at fight scenes.

****_"Uh- Don't freak out but-" Keith rubbed his neck as his mom and uncles looked at him and the lit fireplace and back at him._

_"Keith- Did you light the logs by just looking at them?" Thace crouched before his 12 year old nephew whom nodded. "Wait how did you-" Thace merely turned Keith around to find Krolia by the fire, smiling as she looked at Keith and snapped her fingers, instantly the fire was gone and Keith blinked as Kolivan opened his hand and a white flame hovered over his palm and like a will-o-wisp it flew into the fire place and lit it again. Thace hands slowly reached one of Keith's hands out and with his own free hand he had the fire come to him like thin ribbons and led them to Keith's hand._

_Keith stood holding his breath as he cupped the flame with his hands and as he crooked his finger in a way it became a lion, roaring and then into a kitten fitting into his palms and meowing. Kolivan took the flame back and Keith slumped against Thace._

_"Now you try do what Thace did." Krolia made fire rings with her finger and Kolivan nodded with a proud smile. "You can do it." Thace whispered as he squeezed Keith's shoulder but instead of backing away he sat down and gathered Keith into his lap. Keith took a deep breath and rose his hands to the fire, staring at it and in his head chanting for the fire to come to him slowly and not burn him._

_Slowly the fire obeyed him and slowly came to him and formed into an orb in his hands._

_"I did it!"_

_"Slow and steady. Not a total pyro like someones we know."_

_"Thace-"_

_"Shut up."_

**000**

Keith snorted as he poked the fire with a smile and looked over his shoulder. Kolivan was reading a book, Krolia once again in her Sudoku book and Thace was just sipping his drink looking in the news paper on his tablet.

And Kolivan was right in the blast zone.

"Pyros."

Thace's mouthful went over Kolivan and Krolia's pencil dropped from her mouth as her jaw dropped and Kolivan had shielded his book in time but he wasn't even pissed as he looked at Keith, his eyes widening as Keith carefully tossed a small fire ball from one hand to the other. "It came back to me just now as I made the fire. Without matches, I just laid the logs in and- Zoned out I guess. When I came to the fire was there."

He slowly brought his hands together to put out the little flame and got up to sit in the armchair with Red. "You all taught me when I was 12. At least I think I was 12... Or I might have just turned 12." Keith mussed for a moment as they recovered and Kolivan finally glared at Thace whom was still covering his mouth staring at him. Red made a laughing sound at them and both cat and boy grinned like shits at Kolivan as he got up to get a towel and Krolia howled into a pillow praising Keith for the timing.

"But can you help me? If it really is Dad lurking around I want to be able to fight back. I already know knife and sword arts Mom taught me."

"He has a point there." Krolia breathed. "Speaking of- I need to re-learn myself."

"Thace you take Keith." Kolivan grumbled as he came back with the small towel and sat down, his braid for once undone and Keith had never seen it undone. It looked weird.

Thace snorted. "What? Don't have the patience?"

"It'll run out dealing with Krolia."

"I'm still strong as hell. I dare swing my leg at you."

**000**

"Let's stop here Keith. This place used to be a forest until my brother and sister went lose on it."

"Seriously?!" Keith flew up from his sprawled position and Thace nodded as he set the backpack on a flat stone, taking out notebooks, water bottles and a red box with golden flame decor and a white flame in a circle on the box lid. ***** Keith came closer to look as Thace lifted the token out by the ribbon. "It's a detector. My grandfather used it to see if we had the essence needed to pick an element. Some gets the essence early, later or simply never picks. This here will tell us if your fire is still inside you, but dormant."

Thace gently hung the token around Keith's neck and then took out a bundle of sticks tied with a cord and made a small camp fire. "Now, like you did at home. Light and put it out. Then I'll show you how to control the flame and moves, for now you'll memories what I do."

Keith nodded and they spent as much time as they dared, with the shadow out there.

**000**

Keith spent time learning his new powers when Thace was working and one day he could just hear Red's thoughts, his out loud response to her thought was met with a frighten yowl as she fled into his closet and Keith laughed as he looked for her and she landed on his back. Gathering her in his arms he flopped beside Krolia.

"Mom? Do you have a animal partner?"

"Hm? I think I did. Don't know what happened to it thou." She said. "Why?"

"I can hear Red."

"That's ni- Wait what?!" She looked up at him and Red nodded. Krolia gaped before twisting to howl over the couch. "KOLIVAN!"

Keith rolled his eyes. "Oh sure, give him a heart attack with everything that's going on." Krolia winced as they heard the commotion in the office and held up Red when he bolted into the living room. "Keith can hear Red's thoughts. Only a few can hear them right?" Kolivan blinked before he frowned. "Krolia don't you remember yours?"

"Should I?"

"They are like familiars. They amplify our powers when it's needed. Red is pretty new to it all and Keith just started learning again so they are weak right now."

Krolia nodded slowly and they jumped when the banging was heard again. Keith jumped over the couch standing ready when Kolivan pulled his shoulder. "No stay back. I'll deal with it." He even kept a hand aflame behind his back as he checked the door and Keith held his breath as the door opened and Kolivan threw the ball.

"Ack! Kolivan it's us!"

The fire changed course and Keith caught it in his hands. "Ha! It worked!" He grinned and Kolivan nodded. "Very good Keith. Normally that step is harder to master." "Thace shows me the different forms. The fire training itself we wait with." Keith put out the flame and stepped up. "And who's at th _oly hell you're huge Antok!"_

Antok grinned as he gathered Keith in a hug. Ulaz smiled as he came closing the door behind him. "So you remember us?" Keith nods as he waves. "I also remember which of you cut Kolivan's braid off."

"One of you what?!" Krolia flipped over the couch and crumbled to the floor. "Damn it, forgot the prothesis was off." Ulaz ran to help her up and Antok dropped Keith to face Kolivan who stood with folded arms. "Keith, You'll-"

"I'm your only nephew!" Keith called from the kitchen and while it brought laughs from them all Kolivan meant to ask which one it had been. Thace came home just then and slammed the door shut. "He can fucking duplicate!" He screamed and Keith skidded out of the kitchen. "Say what?!"

"I just met Hunk and Lance saying they fought the figure but I when I came home Pidge and Matt crashed into me pointing at it by the trees! Either that or the wards have failed!"

Keith blinked in confusion and Ulaz noticed first. "Altea Creek stands on a hub of magic that affects humans and animals. They become our familiars and these wards are spread out in different places to hide the town from outsiders. Your father was the only outsider to not accept this place and had ill intentions. By the time we thought of do something he had already destroyed the balance by ripping you and Krolia from here."

"Just how much damage did he do?" Krolia asked as she got her leg on and stood. "Keith may not be in full control of his fire just yet but there's enough to fix the wards."

"We have already split into groups. Some will handle the wards while others face the dark figure."

"If Akito shows his face I'll have first crack at him. Keith come on, we'll tell you more on the way. Not the reunion we planned for you and your friends but fate is always a bitch."

**000**

In the town square the townsfolk stood ready and Keith marveled of their elemental forms, something Thace whispered an explanation to that they were fully trained and in tune with their chosen element. Keith asked a few questions when the mayor stepped up and Keith titled his head.

"That's Alfor. Allura's father."

"Allura is the first daughter of Altea Creek? You sure she's not a Goddess?!"

Thace and Ulaz snorted as Alfor explained the situation. Near the harbor was the fire wards and Kolivan tugged Keith along. "Are we all the fire?" He asked. "Yes. We choose the element we want and since we were all so close already-" Antok started explaining when hell broke loose around them. Keith lowered his arms to find his Dad standing there on the impact spot.

"Keith. I see you chose to be one of them?"

"You tried to kill us in that crash! What? Hoping I wouldn't remember anything of it?!" Keith yelled as Krolia got up and flare up her hand. "Keith back off so I can-"

Akito charged first and dodges her fire balls, then Kolivan's and Thace's as they got on their feet. Keith watched them go lose as Antok and Ulaz backed Keith away. "Trust us, you do not want to be near that!"

"Antok. Keith is all three of them."

"Damn it." Keith smirked up at Antok and turned back to the fight when vines shot up under Akito trapping him high in the air. They looked to the right and found Pidge and Matt with their hands on the ground, Hunk and Lance arrived after and then Shiro. Keith smiled as Allura crashed into Shiro and said something.

Keith turned back to the fight and sent his own fire ball that sent Akito flying. Antok sighed. "Okay fine! Go lose you little pyro!" Keith cackled as he really let lose on his Dad and he was so fast no one could see where he'd land next. Krolia stood with folded arms smirking, Kolivan and Thace tried getting Akito off balance.

"ENOUGH!" Akito roared and got a lucky hit on Keith sending him sailing through the air until someone caught him. Pidge's wines slowly lowered him to Shiro and Allura whom hugged him and Keith briefly returned it before he joined the fray again. "I was trying to get you out of this freak town!"

"Oh yeah?! Then what was that with the gun at mom?! Or giving me another scar in the back head when you knocked me out that night! Or. the. car. crash!" The last words were accompanied with fire balls that Akito easily deflected until he was sent flying by Shiro's lit up metal hand and then a strong gush of air sending him into Hunk's rock wall, Lance used the water from the fountain to trap him in ice but it wouldn't hold for long.

Keith wiped his mouth of the blood from his lip as Pidge and Matt wrapped wines around Akito. "Should have stayed in prison! How did you get over the wards?!" As expected he didn't get an answer as Akito broke free from his bonds and Keith frowned before avoiding Akito's landing and with his fire he blasted off from the square towards the training grounds. He heard people yell for him but Keith wanted to finish this himself.

"How about you answer your soon-to-be-dead son?! Why do it? Why come here at all? What in this town was it you wouldn't accept?!"

"I guess I can grant that! I didn't know what the town was hiding until I noticed your mother going out a lot. So one night I followed her and she was just out with her brothers and two friends, so I thought I was just silly and let it be. Then I heard of wards and elements! When you were born and 5 years old you got to close to the fire! But instead of burning you merely held a flame over your palm!" Akito sent another lighting at Keith which he dodged.

"I suggested moving but she refused! Said I wouldn't understand anything! I understood plenty that this place was crazy! After 14 years in this place I had enough and so when it stormed really hard that people obeyed the forecast warnings I got us out! But you still toyed with the fire! And your mother explained more nonsense! So when I had us driving for a monthly shopping I deliberately had us crashing! When I awoke I was charged for drunk driving and sent to prison." Keith avoided another blast and sent 10 of his own rounds.

Akito took a hit from 3 of them as he continued his story. "6 months later your mother came. Right leg from thigh down gone, scars on visible places. She was pissed but I didn't care, I asked if you had died and she replied you were in a coma. I ordered the plug be pulled!"

White and light purple fire hit him this time and Keith sighed in relief as his uncles landed before him. "Good timing, I was starting to-"

"You've barely learned your element Keith. Let us handle this now." Thace helped steady him as Kolivan cracked his knuckles. "We have 10 years of pent up anger to let lose." Keith snorted in amusement. "And start another forest fire?"

"...Who ever told you that-"

Green and gold fire hit Akito as Antok and Ulaz joined and lastly Krolia, wielding her knife she had given Keith. "5 years I've longed to beat the utter crap out of you for clipping my leg off." She snarled as Altea Creek joined them. Thace handed Keith over to Shiro with orders to keep him out of the fight. Shiro and Allura nodded firmly when they ducked as Akito fired blindly.

Keith was growing weaker when he felt fur on his wrist and found Red there. "Red..."

_'Time to really power up!'_

Red glowed as she zipped into him and Keith gasped as energy surged through him and he blasted off, away from Shiro who screamed, past his uncles and mother, slamming into Akito and over the cliffs-

Everything was in slowly motion and Akito got an dark, magic infected hand around Keith's throat as they fell.

"KEITH!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> huh? Cliff hanger?
> 
> no idea what you're talking about :) (pun intended)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With fragmented memories and returning to an old place, Krolia moves back to Altea Creek with Keith. People remembers them clearly but Keith suffers from headaches as old memories surfaces.
> 
> Easter triggers more pain then sugar rushes.  
>  \---
> 
> Due to the length of Family Moments I decided to post the arcs in separate works for easy read. These would be chapters 23-27 in the Voltron Family Moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fire Colors:
> 
> Keith - Red  
> Kolivan - White  
> Thace - Dark purple  
> Krolia - Lavender (with hints of pink)  
> Antok - Green  
> Ulaz - Gold

Keith could hear his uncles scream for him as he and Akito went off the edge and he struggled to get Akito's hand from his throat and kicked him away, the ground was coming up fast however.

"Got any ideas Red?"

_'Well- One, but we just learned this!'_

Keith closed his eyes and could envision himself engulfed in flames and hovering, opening his eyes he found he had done it and just above water. His body was classic fire but bit on the red side, his hair and eyes glowed white, opening his mouth and it was white. Chuckling to himself he swung around for round 3 with his dad whom was staring at him in horror as Keith loaded up fire balls and threw his arm out, sending them away.

Akito's pendant glowed and he went into smoke but now Keith knew what was going on. But wasn't Altea Creek the only magic hub? They clashed as Keith tried to get the pendant when Akito went solid and he laughed.

"You idiot! You went full elemental without know how to get out of it! Soon you'll lose your preciously returned memories!"

"My uncles will help me. As long as I think of them while fighting, I'll make it. Now hold still so I can ash you!" Keith sent away bigger fireballs now and they meteorite down on the shore line and Akito avoided some of them, even he was growing exhausted by now. Keith hovered towards him with hands ready to throw two more when Akito waved his hand to the water and sent a wave over Keith, making the boy go out and hit the ground.

Now looking like a burned corpse or a put out lava golem Keith breathed calmly to make the water evaporate from him to blaze up again before Akito got a lucky shot in, so he had to duck and avoid the best he could.

He really hated his father right now.

"Now then, what to do with you?" Akito panted as they took a breather and Keith got on his feet again looking at his hand that flared up again and soon Keith was powered up again. "You know I already have the basic training when I was 12. I know what to do in this form. What I needed now was to feel and be in tune with my element. And right now you have royally pissed me off!"

Keith formed two fire lions on his sides and Akito stepped back. "How can- You're just a novice! How do you know this high level already?!"

"How do you even know about that? You're an outsider. You refused to understand this place! You ripped me away from here! I was the keystone to a tunnel that almost collapsed hadn't the elders thought of a temporary solution!"

"I thought I got you out of here before that nonsense got to deep in your head! I thought if I hit you hard enough you wouldn't remember! Then when you still showed magic I decided to take you and your mother out in that crash!"

Keith frowned. "So you really were trying to kill us that night. But we survived and you were in prison, I can almost imagine your face when Mom stepped into the room and the guards let her beat you up before we left." Akito snarled as Keith sicked one fire lion at him and then the other, hoping they would provide enough distraction for him to get the pendant before Akito went shadow again. He almost got it when Akito's possessed arm struck him in the side and the three stripe wound glowed dark purple.

Keith landed holding his side and Akito laughed. "Oh this will be good. You don't know how to purge dark magic do you? This was easier then I thought!" With a roar a wave of dark magic circled out, taking out the fire lions and sent Keith flying into a boulder before landing in the water again and it boiled as he was still aflame. Keith looked up holding his side as Akito conjured a sword which he lifted.

"Do yourself a favor and die this time."

The sword was knocked out by white fire and then a light purple meteor knocked Akito away and took the breath out of him as he hit the ground, looking up he saw two more fire elementals. The white fire helping Keith up and then gently held his face.

Kolivan's gold eyes soften as he studied him and Keith smiled up at him. "Let's deal with him first before you go sentimental on me."

"Hmph, little brat."

Thace smiled as Keith briefly hugged him and they turned to Akito as he stood. "Should have dealt with you long ago already."

Keith barely noticed what blew past until a lavender and pink fire blasted Akito away and Krolia smirked readying another two shots. "Hoo it feels so good being full power again! I have 10 years of pent up anger to unleash!"

Thace led Keith away from the fight. "Keith come here, let me fix that wound before it gets worse." Behind a boulder Keith watched Krolia and Kolivan go nuts on Akito. "Heh, pyros! At least I watched where I blasted."

"And I'm proud of you for that. Now this will hurt worse then getting it." Keith nodded as Thace placed his hands over the wound and for a second nothing happened but Keith barely knew it as green and gold fire joined the fray. "Eh Thace?"

"Ye- Oooh Quiznak."

Keith smiled at him at that word. "You used that around me. Instead of curse words-" Thace huffed happily as he nudged Keith's jaw. "And you turned parrot whenever we said it. But your mother didn't complain about it thou. Okay this should do for now as we fight. You fly around and distract him while we multi move his ass out of here."

"Thace we have to kill him. He's to dangerous to leave alive!"

Thace's silver eyes shifted to look at the fight and nodded. "Agreed. He may not be here for the hub's power but he is a threat to you and Krolia. And I'm not losing you again." He placed a firm hand on Keith's shoulder and they both joined the fight, Keith succeeded in the distraction part and with 5 fire elementals Akito couldn't keep up. He ripped the pendant from his neck and got the stone out to swallow it whole.

Keith crashed into Antok. "Don't tell me-"

"He is." They all replied as Akito turned bigger and fully charged. But before they could do anything a pure blast of pink energy hit him. Keith turned to find Allura and the others there, smiling at him before they went fully elemental. Hunk was a rock golem, Lance with water orbs holding his ice limbs, Matt and Pidge were tree like versions of themselves, Shiro's upper body was the dust of the ground with his lower body was a tornado and Allura was pure pink energy, hair staying white but her eyes and mouth glowed blue.

Keith smiled at them as Akito roared and Keith left his uncles side to join his friends. Thace stopped Kolivan from going after. "Wait. Let's see if he has paid attention."

"This is the first time they have all-"

"Trust them." Thace placed his other hand on Kolivan's free shoulder. "Trust Keith."

Antok growled as Ulaz folded his arms. "I don't like leaving him alone with that thing." He muttered and Krolia huffed where she hovered and leaned back with folded arms and legs. "Keith has some pent up frustration himself. Best let him unleash it now then later."

"...Fine you win." They pouted as she smirked.

**000**

"Any ideas?! He seems to just absorb anything we hit him with!" Hunk called out as Keith sent a rain of fire balls that did nothing. Shiro silently watched Keith repeat the move and then grinned. "Then let's try a combined attack! Hunk! Ready some rocks! Keith light them up!"

Lance looked out to see Altea's fisher men run on a small boat with cans of oil. He smiled as they waved at him and he knew what to do. "Let me add the needed item for that!" He carefully lifted the oil from their canisters and splattered the rocks and Keith, making him blaze up even more.

"Sorry Keith!"

"Hey- That helped. I don't feel as tired!"

Pidge hovered next to him. "I think the sun in the sky is enough!" Keith laughed as he lit up the rocks for their combo attack and it didn't do anything either. "Well we tried at least!" Matt called as he summoned roots to bind Akito's legs but the tail sent him crashing into Shiro, briefly making him lose his form before returning. Keith laughed as he flew around, he never thought this would happen to him for real. This stuff was just fiction meant to amuse people, but to actually be one was like a dream waiting to end.

Keith stopped by Allura. "Do you know any counter spells for his pendant? It turned him into a shadow, his arm was like the beginnings of demonic and he could conjure weapons." Allura shook her head. "No I do not know anything like that. But Father might! Go find him. Your family can help us in the mean time."

He nodded and flew over to them, explaining the plan and Thace nodded. "I'll come with you in case he has minions stopping us."

Alfor waited for them on the cliffs Keith had fallen from not long ago. He nodded at Keith as he appeared. "Welcome back Keith. I assume you are here for advice on the beast?" Alfor listened to the description and hummed in thought. "Yes there is a way. Thace, this here will weaken him enough to wound him. There are 20 charges, with each opening call out an element, with the fire just have all of you blast him." Thace nodded as he took off and Keith was about to follow.

"Keith, that was to give us time to talk. I fear the item will only do just that but it won't stop him fully." Keith turned and Alfor stepped back to let Keith land on the ledge. "Then how do we stop him?"

Coran stepped up as Alfor sighed. "There's an old tale that is bound to the fire. You know the Phoenix?"

Keith nodded after he had made his own guess where this was going. "I have to take out the gem inside him? With a counter token?"

They both smiled at him. "Your uncles were always so proud off how fast you catch on things. This will protect you from the dark magic, but to destroy the token, you must channel your focus and your energy to break it." Alfor lifted a hand from behind his back and conjured the needed token which then turned red showing it was heat resistant. Keith stared at it for a moment and then at Akito.

"Okay, here goes nothing." Keith blasted away forming his own plan and Red didn't like it very much. He stopped by Thace who called out for Allura and lowered his hand with the charger. "He said 20, what are we on now?"

"17. I'm counting backwards and we tried another set of combo attacks and it did some damage to him. I swear this feels like a final boss fight in a game."

"Only here you don't have certain amount of lives."

"True." Thace used the charger again and Lance sent a rain of ice spikes to slow Akito. Keith showed the token. "This will stop him- Buuut you won't like the second thing."

"What are you talking about?"

Well, here goes nothing as Kolivan joined them. "I have to use it near him but given that shield around him-"

"You need an opening long enough to slip inside of it." Kolivan nodded and Thace charged again. Keith wanted to tell them his plan but he knew they would stop him, would do anything to not face that fact. So he nodded and waited for the opening to show, Red grumbled at him that this was a bad idea.

No backing out now.

He increased speed and heard Matt screaming for him, then the others joined and as he blew past Kolivan and Shiro he briefly saw the horror on their faces before he was long gone, Red focused everything she could as Keith went faster, streaking through the dark sky like a shooting star. Akito's roar was cut off as Lance drenched him in oil and flared up Keith even more before he was gone and Akito shut his jaw. Lance stared in shock before he turned water to avoid his ice limbs shattering as Akito swatted him again and flew to where Hunk was gaping.

"He didn't- Keith didn't just-"

"He did Hunk. I don't know what he's planning but I hope it works. I've never been in my elemental form this long before I- I'm feeling weak, and we are by the water!" They heard Shiro's warning to late as the Holt's crashed into them and Allura landed to help them up. "What happened?! Why did Keith-"

"No idea and hope he has a plan! And- Where's Thace?"

Allura sniffed, wiping her eye while struggling to stay strong. "He reverted back and- What Keith did-"

Lance and Hunk frowned at each other and gasped as Akito roared again, charging his own blasts when he hunched over and white cracks started appearing, cracking more letting the light out. Akito had lost his speech ability during his change but they could guess he was asking what was going on before he exploded and then imploded, the blast reversing and a beam of magic shot to the heavens, leaving a crater in its wake.

Thace returned with Antok in element form and was the first to enter the crater even as Antok called for him. He looked around it before gasping and shot away. Kolivan landed beside him as Thace picked up Red's little kitten body, cradling her in his none fire hands. They both looked around until Kolivan reverted to human and ran to the middle, falling to his knees as he turned a body.

Keith's head rolled as Kolivan lifted him and Thace fell on his knees and reach to look for a pulse, Red lay dead in his hand and he pressed his fingers under Keith's jaw, waiting to feel the wonderful sign of life in their nephew.

He only met cold skin and nothing under his finger tips.

Thace shook his head as he carefully transferred Red to Shiro and shook Keith, begging him to wake up before he slumped against the unmoving chest. Shiro stayed back from the two as he studied Red, how cold she felt in his hand and limp. His own cat familiar, Black, materialized and nudged the little one before meowing sadly. Shiro swallowed thickly, understanding that Red was gone if Black couldn't sense her.

They lost Keith for 10 years, got him back for only 3 and a half months and then they lost him forever.

He felt Matt hug him as they both fell on their knees crying.

Antok carried Krolia over after she came around, having been knocked out during the fight and not seen Keith's dying move. She knelt by her brothers and ran her fingers through his hair, smiling sad but proudly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -flees before Shiro can gut me-


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With fragmented memories and returning to an old place, Krolia moves back to Altea Creek with Keith. People remembers them clearly but Keith suffers from headaches as old memories surfaces.
> 
> Easter triggers more pain then sugar rushes.  
>  \---
> 
> Due to the length of Family Moments I decided to post the arcs in separate works for easy read. These would be chapters 23-27 in the Voltron Family Moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the memory order is:
> 
> Keith at age 12 a month before the egg hunt, Akito and Krolia were fighting so Keith went to his uncles.
> 
> The egg hunt, about an hour before Lance, Hunk and Allura catches up with them.
> 
> The news of the storm and they are to prepare, Kolivan and Thace thought of going over to Krolia and Keith but decide not to. An action they regret even 10 years later.
> 
> The move during the storm.
> 
> Keith at 17 when they car crash happens.
> 
> Krolia wakes up 4 months after the crash.
> 
> She visits Akito after she is declared well enough to walk by using crutches until she's more used to her new leg.
> 
> 5 years pass and Keith is 22 when Krolia suggests moving back to Altea Creek.

_"-And they are fighting for the bazillion time!" Keith humphed as he flopped on the couch and hid under a blanket, his head resting on Kolivan's thigh. "Not coming out." Above he heard his uncle laugh and then the blanket was lifted and Thace pout. "Not even gonna say hi to me?"_

_"(laughs) Hi!" Keith beamed.  
_

_They all jumped at the banging from the door and Thace stood with a heavy sigh as he opened it and caught Akito's fist from banging again, but it would have hit Thace instead. "What do you want?"  
_

_"Where's Keith?!"_

_"...You chased him off again?!" Thace shouted and Kolivan smirked as he rubbed Keith's shoulder through the blanket, letting Thace handle the situation. "What were you fighting about this time that made him run off?"_

_"None of your business! Now where is he?!"_

_"Go ask Shiro; although you are likely going to get his fist in your face for chasing Keith away. That teen is a demon when anything threatens Keith."_

_"Oh so they are g-"_

_Keith jumped slightly hearing Thace sinks his own fist in Akito's face and Kolivan turned in the sofa. "Alright you deserved that one!" Akito just glares at them before leaving to deal with his broken nose and Thace slams the door shut and stomps away muttering something Keith couldn't make out._

_"So you do have a temper!" Keith poke up from the couch back getting a wave from Thace and Kolivan snorts. "Oh he has one alright. Heed my advice thou; Don't be there when he unleashes it. That was just a small portion of it."_

_"Altea Creek has its own volcano right?"_

_"Sadly not little one. But the mines are deep enough that he could flood them with lava." Kolivan put his newspaper away to gather Keith up in a infant hold. "And let's not even discuss mine."_

_Keith giggled as he nuzzled closer. "Meh, it's just half of Mom's. If I have one, it might be all three of you!"_

_"Oh quiznak." Thace grunts as he joins them and Keith places his feet on Thace's leg. "Mom has started using that word too. She heard me use it when I dropped the forks when doing dishes." They sit there talking about randoms stuffs and forgets Akito was there looking for him until Krolia lets herself in with her key. "Yeah I figured the little fire cracker was here. Everyone's looking for you."_

_"Even Shiro?"_

_"Dear, he nearly suffocated your father by trapping his head in an orb sucking the air out of his lungs. I told them I knew where you might be so let's go. You're the only force in Altea Creek that can stop him."_

_Keith merely stares at her. "Mom, you really want to add unstable fire to a tornado?"_

_"...Not really but that once again points out how close you are. Come on now."_

_Kolivan tightens his arms as Keith is about to slip out and Krolia threw a pillow at him. "Kolivan. Now."_

_"Humph, fine. But we're coming along because Thace broke Akito's nose and I want a crack at him myself."_

_"Oh?"_

_Keith instantly ran out of the house after Thace wildly pointed at the door and then he ducked when his mom blasted out._

_"Oh he's dead."_

_"Good." Kolivan easily picks Keith up and on his back.  
_

**_000_ **

_Keith crawled out from the tree roots holding an Easter egg. "Shiro! I found another!" Standing up he put the egg in the basket being held out and dusted himself. "Maybe let Pidge crawl around for a bit? She must be getting annoyed just hanging on your back."  
_

_"Hm, good point. She has been squirming a lot." Shiro sat down so Keith could get her out of the back carrier and set on the ground. Pidge instantly zeroed in on a trio of eggs and the teens that found them handed them to her with smiles and laughter, Pidge beamed at them and toddled back to the basket and put them in._

_"Now where the heck is Matt?"_

_"Beats me. I know he was here when I crawled under those roots." Keith nodded his head to them and Shiro snorted. "That explain why you look like a mess."_

_"More like I got in your blast zone!"_

_"...Also a good point. But let's not combine our elements okay? I don't think everyone will be happy we burned the town to dust."_

_Keith laughed as he laid down in the grass looking up at the tree crown over them blocking the sun. "Can you believe we have elemental powers?" He asked as Pidge snuggled beside him and Shiro sat against the tree watching over them. "Nope. I thought they were just fiction or fairy tales. Then I sneeze one day and my room is upside down when I open my eyes. I swear my grandparents have never laughed so hard before in their lives."_

_"Did they help you clean up?"_

_"They had to since they never warned me. Did you know some families have had the same element for generations? I think I'm the 5th in my family."_

_Keith blinked as he looked at him. "I didn't know that. Wonder what I am?"_

_"Ask your uncle. He's right there by the Easter lilies."_

_"Don't say that when I have Pidge half on me!"_

_The uncle turned out to be Thace as he came over when Shiro waved at him and smiled when he saw Keith's predicament. "So that's why I wasn't knocked off my feet." Keith blep at him for a second. "Thace. Shiro told me there are some families who's had the same element for generations, what am I?"_

_Thace sat down beside Shiro and sighed. "That is a good question and sadly I'm not the family historian like Kolivan. But I know Kogane have been strongly connected to Fire." Keith beamed while Shiro hummed in thought. "My family have been a mix but Air is the most picked one. Does it still count?"_

_"Kolivan little one."_

_"I'm not that li- Wait you're like 7 feet tall."_

_Thace threw his head back in a cackle and Pidge crawled over to him as Keith turned to his front. "Which is why I always piggy back on them!"_

_"I'm just 6'1. Kolivan I think is 6'8. Krolia- Actually it's been a while since I last knew her hight..."_

_"And me?"_

_"You stay that size! Don't you dare grown up more!" His uncle pointed at him and his stern tone didn't match the grin on his face as Keith sat in his lap now, Pidge had waddled away following a Mother duck and her three chicks with Shiro following. "You stay this small you hear me?" Thace whispered as he kissed Keith's hair. "You're not allowed to grown more."_

_"Why do I get the feeling you've told me this when I was a baby?"_

_"We did. You didn't listen."_

_"And I won't now either!"  
_

_Thace chuckled as he closed his eyes, holding the smaller body closer._

**_000_ **

_"There's a storm heading for the town. We do the usual preparations and start make the living arrangements. I'm sure the children would love to have their friends under the same roof." Alfor nodded to Shiro &CO and everyone laughed when they blushed and Allura used her hair to hide her face. Keith merely pulled his hood strings to hide and folded his arms with a grin. They were in the town hall for the announcement about the storm that was about a week away they started with the preparations now.  
_

_Akito frowned where he stood by the exit with folded arms watching Krolia talking with her brothers, Kolivan's arms around her resting his chin on her head and Thace standing beside them counting on his fingers and then Ulaz burst out laughing and Antok mock swung his hand at Thace whom ducked with a grin and a shrug._

_Keith was talking to his friends when the lights started flicker and so he carefully made little fire orbs that lit the braziers handing by the ceiling and walls to provide light. Alfor and the elders nodded and a few clapped their hands. "We also need to renew the wards on the hub as we don't know how long this storm will last. So if any one would volunteer to go with their elder- Allura you know you and your friends aren't that ready yet. Calm down."_

_"At this rate we'll never be elders!" Lance folded his arms and sank in his chair and felt proud at the Elders shocked looks and some shred tears. Keith briefly caught a peak on his mom and uncles and found they, Antok and Ulaz were stunned, then he saw the dark hate in Akito's face before he walked out of the hall._

_Keith frowned as the meeting ended and followed his friends to the Elders. "-Serious about that?! Why that could take years to-"_

_"We know! So teach us already?! Wait how old do elementals get?" "Do we even age?" "How old are you guys?!"_

_Shiro laughed as Hunk, Lance and Matt asked their own questions and the Quin-Elder laughed fondly. "It depends. If you want too and a little over 7 centuries."_

_Shiro felt his own element leave his lungs and caught Keith when his knees buckled. "Sevenhund- Holy quiznak! Wait- How old is Coran?" They all lost it when the man called out and Keith fled behind Antok whom hit the floor howling so Keith bounced into Kolivan's arms but even he struggled to stay on his feet. Keith flashed a cheeky grin at Coran whom glared at him with a grin._

**_000_ **

_The storm had gone on for about 3 days and Keith had been in his room most of the time when Akito came in with some boxes. "I thought we packed some toys away in the garage already. These ones are the ones I use all the time."  
_

_"I know but put them in your backpack."_

_"We can't leave. The roads are flooded. The water alone is to your shins."_

_Akito looked out the window and scuffed. "It actually is. But we have a high car so the water won't bother us, now come on." Keith frowned as Akito left and went to find his mom whom was in the office. "Mom, you know Dad is walking around with moving boxes right?" Krolia looked up from her fire orb and nodded. "I have noticed. And I've also told him we are not to go outside until it has passed. Come here for a second, let's find out your familiar."_

_Keith grinned until he heard a click and being that Antok was in the police force he had taught Keith about weapons. And right now Keith knew a gun had removed its safety. He turned to find his dad there with a box under his arm and the gun aimed at them. "I told you to pack Keith."_

_"And we told you-"_

_Bang!_

_Krolia's orb shattered to dust on its golden stand and they hadn't flinched as Akito set the safety on again and point his thumb over his shoulder. "Pack. Now." Keith walked past him to his room, started packing and he saw Krolia do the same, taking down some of the important binders from the selves and into a moving box. Keith looked out and sighed as he couldn't send a fire figure to his uncles, the water would take it out instantly. The radio informed them it would last 2 weeks and in that time most of their things were in the large truck Akito had gotten along with a pickup truck, Krolia didn't recognize the men helping with the furniture but she sense they were outsiders._

_They must have slipped in while the wards were weak._

_One of the men yells suddenly and rushes to Keith who lays on the floor knocked out with blood pooling under his head and Akito standing with the butt of the gun still in the position it hit Keith. Krolia knew if she moved he'd fire so she went to find the first aid kit and the moving was speed up, each man giving her a look that she returned. Keith was tended and put in the pick up truck with his favorite stuffed toy in his arms and never knew his life was going to change._

**_000_ **

_Keith looked out the car window as they drove to the mall for their monthly grocery shopping and he tagged along after finding another set of jeans didn't fit him anymore, which left him in his sweat pants he had on right now. "Is it normal for people my age to grown so fast I lose pants?"  
_

_"Different for everyone but I have to say I'm a little stunned. You got those pants just a few months ago." Akito said and Krolia added that to the list below. "Anything else you need? Shirts? Jackets?"_

_"Notebooks and 0.7 pins for my pens. Even if my teachers tells me to stop go into much details."_

_"They complain that you study like hell?" They both asked. "I- That's the first time I've ever heard that!"_

_"Notebooks and 0.7 pins added. Next?"_

_"...Bed."_

_"..."_

_"...Okay maybe this sort of growth isn't normal for a 17 year old."_

_Keith sighed as they got out of the car and did their shopping, his clothes and new bedding were put in the left backseat. After they found one he liked they bought it and the bed was to arrive with in 3 to 5 work days and they drove home when it started to rain. Akito drank from his sports flask like always after the heat stroke 3 weeks ago and Keith looked out the window again as it started raining._

_Krolia looked through their shopping list on the way to their next stop when she looked out her window._

_Crashing was the last she heard._

**_000_ **

_"Ms. Kogane, we're glad to see you have come around. Do you remember the car crash?"  
_

_"I- Think..."_

_The doctor nodded after a moment. "It'll come. I have here an outline of a human and I have marked where you were injured- And we'll have your leg ready soon. Your actual leg got severed in the crash. And your son is in the bed next to you but still in a coma, he has a head trauma and a scar on his shoulder where the belt cut into him. He may have severe memory loss."_

_"Like me- So much I can't piece together... Um, do you know if I had a job? Will we get funding while we recover?"_

_"Yes you boss was here actually and she assures me you will still get paid and she asks you work from home. Just the normal things you do but not walking around. Keith's principal was here asking what would be best for him during the rest of the semester and my colleague is discussion that now. Anything else? Would you like to rest?"_

_"...I think- My husband?"_

_The doctor nodded with a sigh. "I suspect you never saw what he put in his sports bottle." A head shake. "Alcohol. Police was here leaving this and I can fill it for you if you wish. He's already in prison for drunk driving, that was 4 months ago by the way." Krolia nods and gestures to the door. "Please you must be busy. I'll rest a bit if the police wants to question me later."_

_"Of course, a nurse will see to Keith soon."_

**_000_ **

_"We often get requests like that ma'am. You're not the first getting your aggregation out on a scum." The guard opens a door and Krolia walks in, Akito's hands are cuffed and he looks up and his jaw drops. "10 minutes. I'll be right out here with 2 others."  
_

_The door closes and Krolia clenches her crutch handles as she slowly walks to the chair that's been pulled out from the table and sits down._

_"Keith 6 feet down?"_

_"In a coma. Trauma to the head, he might be amnesiac when he wakes."_

_"Then just pull the plug."_

_The guards merely look at the door when they hear screaming and begging. "10 minutes Kogane. Every single second." The guard that had led Krolia there calls from his magazine and his co-workers snorts and goes back to their conversation. Soon there's knocking and Krolia walks out, sits down and hands her crutches to be cleaned._

_"That felt good. He might need soups for a few weeks thou."_

_"Happy to help out. Let me call the cab for you."_

**_000_ **

_Krolia watched Keith walk around the apartment doing small stuff. At 22 there wasn't much he could do in his state after school, his old teachers still gave him some things to keep his mind sharp and a collage professor visited twice a week, suggesting Sudoku, crosswords, puzzles anything to keep the mind sharp but at the same time relaxing.  
_

_Keith found drawing to be calming and so he doodled in the notebooks he had over from school. Birds, plants, cars..._

_Elemental humans._

_She smiled as she paged through one of his sketchpads and found a drawing with black background to bring out the white fire human with golden eyes and the light purple with silver eyes. Both looked gentle and at the same time a force to be reckon with._

_Krolia looked up to find the room had gone dark with the night falling and looked around at the candles, which lit up after a moment. Frowning she let it slide, she usually zoned out at random and must have missed Keith light them. She put the sketchpad down when he came in again.  
_

_"Keith? How about we move from here?"_

_"Hm? Sure I guess." Keith said from the floor playing with his kitten whom caught the toy attached to the thin stick Keith was holding. "Where to?"  
_

_"My old home town. Altea Creek."_


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With fragmented memories and returning to an old place, Krolia moves back to Altea Creek with Keith. People remembers them clearly but Keith suffers from headaches as old memories surfaces.
> 
> Easter triggers more pain then sugar rushes.  
>  \---
> 
> Due to the length of Family Moments I decided to post the arcs in separate works for easy read. These would be chapters 23-27 in the Voltron Family Moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was posted as I recovered from pneumonia in May 2018.
> 
> But i liked to write in Modern setting so i did a few more that i'm going to add in the Arc series.

"A magic circle? This will release Keith?" Shiro read through the tome Pidge had been paging through, his hands resting on either side of the book and the girl dwarfed between them in the chair he was leaning over.

"Yup, but when I used magic the words glowed red. And what language do we know does that?"

"So we have 5 options. Ulaz, Antok, Thace, Kolivan or Krolia. One of them could translate this but then they would find out what we have been doing." He points out, looks around the library and to her horror he rips out the 4 pages, slams the book shut and hides the pages inside his jacket and she sits gaping looking at him and the book.

"You are dead set on this."

"Wouldn't you if it was Matt?"

"...I hate when you go there."

Shiro shrugs as he starts carrying the tomes back to their spots and the tome he had tore pages out of he hand in reporting it was damaged when he found it and they go to find a spare to place on the shelf. Pidge swore Shiro already knew of the spare books but he doesn't say anything as they leave the library and heads to Krolia's home, Thace opens the door before Pidge can even knock. "Finally out of the library I see. Means you found a spell that may work."

"But the pages are in fire language."

"...And of course Kolivan is not home!" Thace sighs and opens the door wider. "I'll try but I can't promise my translations will be on the spot. Kolivan has more practice then I do."

"What is there Kolivan doesn't know?"

"How to holdback when something harms his family." Thace slams the door and takes the pages from Shiro, they lit up with red marks and Thace gets a pen and pad out and starts working. The pages with diagrams he leaves on the side as they were easy to understand, Pidge sits down looking around and then she's in Shiro's lap after screaming when something drags across her leg.

Red jumps up on the table with a meow and they blink in shock and confusion because they knew the cat had been dead and unmoving when Shiro held her. "How are you-"

Red meows again, jumps and in a burst fire she's gone.

Thace finds a bag, shoves the pen, pad and pages in it and calls Kolivan to meet him in the square and the two youngsters follows him. They get there first and waits for Kolivan to meet them and barely gets to ask what it was all about before Thace holds his hand out and Pidge yelps and zooms up behind Shiro as the fountain splits the water and a stair is revealed below. Thace takes the lead and after a nod from Kolivan Shiro and Pidge follows down below and takes a moment to look around the Hub before they are led to the Fire Chamber.

The winged fire elementals grasps the flowing lava like curtains and parts it, revealing the room behind it and they enter it and Kolivan heads for a pod by one of the walls and rests his hands on the shield.

Below it is Keith.

Red appears again on an alter in the middle of the room and in her mouth is the token, the glow purple and they clench their fists looking at it before Thace empties his bag. "Kolivan, Shiro and Pidge found this in the library but you have more knowledge of Fire language then I do. Can you translate this? It looks like a unsealing charm."

"It is. But other elements are needed. See this circle with the 5 pointed star? Quintessence goes in the middle, Air on the top, Nature on the right, Earth on the lower right, Water on the lower left and Fire on the upper left. These smaller circles in the middle are for items needed in the unsealing, the item itself and two other things. Either a blank token or a empty glass orb."

Shiro leans in to look and Pidge, after jumping twice, ends up sitting on the alter after Shiro takes pity on her. Pidge studied it closely and then up at Kolivan. "Do we do it here or more secluded?"

"The Hub is the strongest magic point and that is what we need. But if you are thinking of Akito getting free and wreaking havoc we can make a protective dome before we unseal them."

"And which of you will be the fire?"

The brothers shares a glare for a moment before Thace shrugs. "If it works I have to tend to Keith once his essence is back in his body. And you if it gets to much." Kolivan nods and gathers the pages. "We of course need the token itself but I suspect Alfor hid it somewhere."

**000**

"I switched them out." Coran reveals proudly, twirling his mustache and waiting for his words to sink into them all. Krolia gaps in shock and Kolivan looks up from the pages he's been over 20 times already to glance at the advisor. "You did what now?"

"The token is in here." Coran takes out a box and sets it on the table. "I merely copied the appearance of it onto a empty token and gave it to Alfor after the fight and hid this until I knew Shiro had lost his mind enough to find a way to revive Keith. Red merely showed you what it looks like now."

Kolivan nodded. "Some of our talks would go there. But I never expected him to actually do it." He waves the pages. "But now we have the token, a spell and soon the needed elements once Shiro gets them up to speed. I will take the fire circle."

"At your age? And this amount of magic?! Ho! Keith is sure to beat you up for taking such a risk."

Krolia snorts at the age remark and for once Kolivan care zip about it, to engrossed in the pages to hear anything that wasn't about the plan. "If it means getting him back it's worth it. And if Akito gets free step back because I will wring his neck off."

"Kolivan-"

He gets up from the armchair, takes the box and leaves with a slam of the door and they cringe. "Sometimes I wonder who is the parent here?" Coran muses and Krolia rolls her eyes. "Akito wasn't much father to Keith and not around much, Keith was mostly with my brothers when they had time. If not they made time for him."

"I still remember the time Akito appeared during their hide and seek game on the outskirts of the forest and dragged Keith home, without a word to them. Shiro and Matt were impossible to calm down."

"Wasn't it until Shiro lost control of his element that-"

Coran leaned back rubbing his chin. "I think Akito was aware of us then and when the winds were starting to case to great of a damage he had to bring Keith back there, by then Shiro was in the center of the tornado and Keith jumped in. Took him quite some time to calm him thou."

Krolia nodded slowly. When the tornado finally disappeared Shiro had refused to let go of Keith and they ended up in a dog pile of friends and Akito learned enough not to try it again.

"Let's go after Kolivan and see if they started. They may need help afterwards if it drains them."

**000**

Matt wiped the sweat of his forehead after he and Pidge had used their magic to make wines draw out the circle in different color chalk on the ground and Kolivan spread out the items, the token, a blank one and a glass orb resting on a golden stand. Lance laid on his back in his circle with his hands behind his head and his legs crossed, his foot bouncing. Hunk scratched his head studying his circle, Pidge walked around making sure the circle was perfect, Allura waited in the middle of the circle, Shiro took his and Kolivan took his, giving them the basic and short version on what to do.

Allura powered up the circle and one by one the others followed, the items lifted and after cracking and screaming the dark token burst, darkness screaming as fire surrounded it in a orb and then the fire instantly shot into the glass orb and lowered on it's stand while the shadow was sucked into the empty token and they all landed on all four when it was over.

"So quick run down on what happen. The spell worked, Akito is in this and Keith was preeetty pissed before he high tailed into that." Matt pointed at the orb as Thace picked it up and smiled when it lit up brighter. "We did it. Keith is safe, and Akito can rot where ever we place him."

"He would if the tokens weren't switched out."

They all turned to find Alfor standing there and Allura clenched her hands. "Father not a word. And the spell worked! Keith is safe and Akito is alone in the token. As he should have been in the first place!"

"Keith chose to seal himself with Akito after being marked."

Thace stood with the orb in his arms and headed out. "You can argue all you want. I'm going to get Keith out of pod now but he will need a few weeks to recover. No visitors until then."

"Aww come on!"

"Just a little bit?"

Hunk and Lance pouted when Thace didn't reply and they all started clean the place up.

Thace entered the fire chamber and found that Kolivan had already removed Keith from the pod and was laying him on the alter, supporting his upper body as Thace got closer. "He's cold."

"Not for much longer. This will take time however." Thace gently placed the orb against Keith's still chest and pressed, but the orb merged quickly and waves of its color spread over Keith until his skin wasn't gray and he slumped against Kolivan, Thace pressed his fingers under the jaw and grinned.

"He's back."

Burying his face in the soft locks Kolivan nodded. "And he's grounded."

**000**

"They grounded you?" Shiro wiped the milkshake the ran down his chin after he burst out laughing.

Keith grunted into his arm folded over the table. "Yep, and I still am but Mom let me sneak out while they are at work. She said you have tried seeing me?"

"I knew Thace would say no to visitors so I always turned around leaving without nearing the door."

"They told me you did that. Kolivan said the next time they saw you there he would drag you in."

Shiro huffed as he stirred his milkshake slowly with the straw and Keith ate his lemon mousse cake in silence. "Have they told you what happen after the fight?"

"Not really, just that I got sealed in the token as well. The rest is all blurry." Keith lowers his fork and looks at Shiro. "Why? Did something else happen?"

"You don't remember getting the token, blasting full flare into Akito and giving us heart attacks? You were dead for 2 months. And I'm guessing the rumor of our action has spread because no one has made a fuss about you sitting here breathing and on your third serving."

Keith stuck his tongue out at the last remark and Shiro smiled at him before his gray eyes shifted over Keith's shoulder. "Aaaaand your uncle knows you're out."

"Which one?" He doesn't bother turning to look who it is since the man takes the seat beside him and he sees white in the corner of his eye. "Mom kicked me out after calling Shiro."

Lie. But Shiro wouldn't out him.

Shiro shrugged. "She said he's not allowed in until hour 4 has passed. And I wasn't going to test fate and see if she would ash me."

Kolivan huffs but turns to Keith. "Perhaps grounding was a bit overboard. But with everything trying to tear you away from here I had to do something."

"Wrap me in bubble wrap?" Keith suggested and Kolivan shakes his head.

"I don't think it would help much, little one."

**000**

_**Epilogue** _

Easter rolled around again and Keith appeared from a bush, twigs stuck in the mullet and Pidge holding the basket. Shiro appears upside down from a tree holding eggs and Matt finds two under the tree roots. By their picnic spot Krolia watches with a grin as Thace watches a video on his phone and snorts. "Deja vu all over. Only difference is they are older."

"How have you managed to save it for 10 years? Shouldn't it be corroded by now?"

"Nope, I have it on at least 3 CD's and if it happen to vanish from my phone I just put it back." She rolls her eyes and slumps against him. "Have you all recovered?"

"Like Kolivan said. I don't think we ever will, the scars are deep and we have the occasional night terror about it. I still catch Kolivan looking in on Keith."

"At this rate he's not allowed to move out."

Thace snorted as he put his phone back in his pocket. "Then Shiro will just have to move in."

She smacks him with the crossword just as Kolivan comes over and sits on her other side. "What did you do now?"

"Being a wise cracker."

"...Huh, was wondering when that would come back."

Krolia glares at her oldest brother as Thace merely grins and looks over. "Where's Keith?"

"Don't worry, he's by the swings."

Krolia rolls her eyes again. "I should be the worried one here but instead it's the two of you. Your hair is going to fall off Koli." Thace explodes and tilts aside making others look over and Kolivan is debating on is he should reply on the insult or-"

"KEITH!"

They look over in time to see Keith erupt in flames and hovers above ground, eggs in his none flamed hand and sighs. "Well my timing is getting quicker! Sorry for the heart attack. We just gonna have to send Pidge up in the trees!"

"Why me?!"

"You barely weight anything. Shiro literally threw you into the lake!"

Pidge puffed her cheeks out. "That's because he always at the gym!"

Keith folded his arms. "Okay I can take that excuse, but Antok?"

"Everyone knows he like half giant! He's a head taller then Kolivan!"

Thace snorts. "They're not wrong there."

"Shut it." Kolivan grunts and Krolia ducks from the mock swing.

Soon the egg hunters return to the spot and gather around the tree and Thace wipes out his phone, takes one picture and then Sam calls out, holding his own phone and even if they are 10 years older it couldn't be helped.

"Kids!"

The smiles are flashed and the moment is recreated again. Keith firmly in their arms.


End file.
